


The Halloween Special

by Myoneloveismusic



Series: Piano 'Verse [5]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: Halloween, M/M, Piano AU, halloween music, halloween party, literally no plot, music fic, this is just all in good fun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-11 16:18:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16478852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Myoneloveismusic/pseuds/Myoneloveismusic
Summary: Treble Espresso is throwing its annual Halloween party and of course, The Dueling Pianos is going to steal the night with a performance of magic, mayhem, undead, and movie music that's all not as creepy as Jason tries to make it out to be.





	The Halloween Special

**Author's Note:**

> I am so excited to post this fic! Happy Halloween everyone! This fic is largely performance based and doesn't have any plot to the rest of the series but it's still fun. 
> 
> I made a whole Halloween playlist for this fic that includes the songs Jason and Tim play in order at the beginning of the playlist and then some other fun additions at the end. You can find that [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCkZwcz9iAw&list=PLU1_3c5dZEa1c4a11wuaxRngjFg3UypaS&index=1). 
> 
> Hope you enjoy! I had a lot of fun writing this one!
> 
> <3 MOLIM

Jason took a deep gulp of punch from the red cup he was holding, careful not to wipe the back of his hand across his mouth to smudge his makeup like he’d already done once that night. Tim had chuckled and pulled him into the bathroom, fixing his zombie makeup for the second time since he couldn’t manage to keep it smudge free.

Jason and Tim had prepped their costumes for the Halloween party Roy and Kori were hosting at _Treble Espresso_ for weeks. Jason had gone to the thrift store to pick up some old clothes and shredded the ends of them to make them worn and particularly zombie-like. It was kind of a cliché costume, but he was drawn to it. There were worse things he could’ve dressed up as.

For instance, like what Tim had done. He’d put together a makeshift replica of what Bill Nye wore in his shows. Jason wasn’t sure where Tim had managed to find the blue lab coat he was sporting, but it fit him perfectly. And his funky patterned bowtie had to have only cost him a dollar since he was sure no one else would’ve picked that out of the pile of ties at the store. He even had safety goggles perched on top of his head and Jason hoped they were secure and wouldn’t come off when they had to get on stage and perform their _Dueling Pianos_ act.

They’d spent weeks picking out the music they’d play and practicing it, smashing together great songs and melodies from different Halloween movies. Jason would’ve loved to include more music from the legendary horror movies that everyone new, but they only had so much time they could spend playing on stage.

Roy had remedied that by compiling all the most well-known themes on a playlist that was looping over the shop’s speakers.

Kori’s laugh drifted over to him above the chatter and he found her and Roy in the crowd socializing with the regulars that had been invited. Most of them had been at the last party they’d hosted, but there were some new faces who’d been welcomed into the group and were getting to know each other after taking an interest in the _Dueling Pianos_ nights.

Jason smiled. Roy and Kori had decided to dress up as Rapunzel and Flynn Rider from _Tangled._ Jason had never really saw the point of couple’s costumes and even though they weren’t dating, the pair fit them. Kori was gorgeous in the dress and her long hair accented it well. She’d even stuck an array of flowers through the wavy strands.

Roy fit the part of Flynn since he was such a hopeless dork and had absolutely no game with the ladies. But it worked, and he was obviously having the time of his life acting the part of the suave damsel in distress for the guests at the party.

“Ready to get this party started?” Tim asked, sidling up next to him.

Jason chuckled. “The party’s already started, remember? You’re supposed to be the genius scientist. Surely you know how time works.”

“Shut up,” Tim said, voice filled with affection. “We’ve got some music to play. Don’t want to keep everyone waiting now do we? So let’s get this spooky party started.”

“Fine, fine,” Jason sighed in mock exasperation. He pressed a quick kiss to Tim’s cheek and slowly made his way through the crowd. He nodded towards some of the guests and answered their questions, making it look like he was doing nothing more than wandering through the crowd and socializing instead of making his way to the stage.

He glanced back over his shoulder and found Tim leaning against the counter with his arms crossed, eyes never leaving him. Jason grinned and slipped onto the stage, moving behind the piano that he used for their performances.

He saw someone glance at him, but he hoped their attention would stay off him long enough to get the first few notes out. He wanted to ease them into the songs they were going to play and blend seamlessly into the last track playing overhead. He wanted the chill of the music to take over and draw their attention so they couldn’t look away.

Jason checked to make sure the light of his piano was on and he knew he was hooked up to the speakers. Him and Tim had gone through their checks before the guests started arriving and knew everything was in place unless someone had decided to trip over a wire somewhere which would seriously ruin the mood if they had.

He rested his fingers over the keys and [started the high end](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCkZwcz9iAw) of the scale of Victor’s Piano Solo from _Corpse Bride._ A few people stopped their conversations as Jason reached the lower end of the piano, filling the melody that twisted and surrounded the air around them.

He watched his hands move over the keys, the notes easy under his fingers. It wasn’t a technical piece, but the solemn air was designed to draw the attention of those listening. It was heart wrenching, speaking of a loneliness Jason didn’t feel anymore. One he hadn’t felt since he’d met Tim who’d sparked something deeper inside his chest.

He glanced up and met Tim’s eyes, offering him a smile. Tim grinned back and started to make his way through the crowd that now stood in rapt attention as Jason played. They moved out of the way when he nudged them, but the crowd never took their eyes off Jason, almost seeing the notes twisting through the air as they grew in volume, demanding their attention.

Tim climbed onto the stage next to him as he wound down with the buildup at the end of the solo. Tim’s hands settled over the keys in preparation for the transition. In the film, the piece cut off abruptly when Victor was startled by someone listening to him play, but they didn’t have time for such changes now, not when there was a performance to be had.

The slow melody immediately [sparked into something faster](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4bHo3eHZtc) and upbeat as Tim’s fingers hit the keys. Jason sat back as Tim took his turn, changing the atmosphere of the coffee shop. Jason looked around, taking in the grins of the guests. A few of them were nodding along to the upbeat music, bringing the genial atmosphere back after Jason’s chilling introduction.

It didn’t incorporate everything the jazz piece in the film did, but covered each of the melodies that were played.

Tim’s fingers quickly moved over the scales until the sound dropped off suddenly and he slowly brought the sound back up again, starting low in the bass line and making his way up to the higher keys. Tim’s hands made the notes in the air tremble before all noise cut off.

Jason reset his fingers on the keys for the next song. He shared a look with Tim and nodded. The guests held their breath as they waited for what was coming next.

Jason started [The Piano Duet](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBS9o9RCyt4&index=16). He used his upper hand, watching his fingers gracefully play the soft notes. The music and melody spoke to something low in his chest. It spoke to his desire.

He released a small sigh when he placed his left hand on the keyboard, adding the bottom of the chords to the main melody as Tim’s gaze settled on him, waiting for his turn and his chance to enter so the two of them were finally, _finally_ playing the same music, in sync as they should be. As they’d learned to be over so many months.

Once Jason’s melody dipped lower, Tim took over, playing the rumbling tenor that repeated the soprano melody. Tim’s smile was soft, and Jason grinned when he interjected the quick set of triplet notes, slowing just slightly so the audience recognized the same chord progression.

Tim and Jason only had eyes for each other as Tim played the bass line, letting the chords ring out over the heads of the people in the coffee shop. Jason echoed the line back to him several octaves higher. He put more force behind the notes, giving it more sound and shape as the volume rose.

Tim did the same, grinning at Jason as he finished the rest of the chord progression, giving the song a nice ending. If they were going to let it end there. Which they weren’t.

Jason grinned, fingers tapping out the quick high-octave melody before he dipped lower on the scale. He heard the small intake of breath from the audience at the sudden change.

Tim picked up where Jason left off, dipping lower on the scale before climbing higher with a quick triplet note pairing which his long, slim fingers covered easily. They paused for a moment, letting the notes float and settle.

Tim played the bottom part, his fingers roving over the keys. Jason joined in quickly, not letting him have all the fun as the repetitive melodies mixed in the air, giving the piece a more complex sounding rhythm than it actually had, especially with two people dividing the music.

Jason pulled his hands back as Tim swept up the scale, dancing on two higher octave notes for the crowd as Jason chuckled at his antics. Jason’s eyes swept over the crowd and saw they were completely focused on the music being played. It was just how he liked it.

Jason rolled his eyes good naturedly.

“Show-off,” he muttered.

Tim stuck out his tongue at him and the crowd snickered in the quiet that settled between them.

The next song was Jason’s favorite. And not just because of the lyrics. It was upbeat and jazzy and would certainly give the party an actual party feel. Jason placed his hands over the keys, sharing a smile with Tim. Jason only half-heartedly wished they had a full band for this part, but that would ruin the magic of [Remains of the Day](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ux2MzgGQn8). For them at least.

Tim tapped his fingers against the top of his keyboard, trying to go for a makeshift sound block that would’ve been better suited for the song, but they worked with what they had. After a couple beats of the woodblock improv, Jason started at the higher end of the octave, mimicking the xylophone with his keyboard.

He swiped his hand down the scale and Tim joined in as the solid piano melody began, the notes and rhythms adding to the jazzy feel.

Jason hadn’t fully decided if he was going to sing along with the lyrics or not when they’d been practicing, but he felt the mood was right for it and the audience would surely appreciate a little more of a show from them.

“Heyyyy, give me a listen,” he started as Tim continued to play the piano line, giving Jason a break. “You corpses of cheer…”

The audience turned their attention to him, enraptured by the lyrics and the shifting mood of the performance.

Tim’s fingers trilled over the keys, covering the different parts of the music. Jason rested his fingers over the keys as the chorus of the song started.

“Die, die, we all pass away. Don’t wear a frown ‘cause it’s really okay,” he continued, Tim hesitantly singing along.

Jason flashed him a grin and he nodded back. “You might try and hide, or you might try and break, but we all end up the remains of the day.”

Jason’s voice took on a high-pitched and mocking tone. “Yaa, yaa, yaa ya ya.”

Tim took over the echo. “Yaa, yaa, yaa-a-a.”

“Well,” Jason threw his head back as the melody settled, leaving Tim to play the notes himself while he continued to sing. “Our girl was a beauty, known for miles around,” he walked over towards Tim. “But a mysterious stranger came into town.”

The audience laughed as Jason wiggled his fingers at Tim, trying to give off an air of creepiness that left Tim rolling his eyes.

“He was plenty good looking,” he continued, adjusting the shirt of his costume. “But was down on his cash. And poor little baby, she fell hard and fast.”

He swung back around to his piano as he sang the last portion of the verse, placing his hands on the keys just in time for the chorus to repeat, giving an added layer to the melody that Tim was playing.

“Yaa, yaa, yaa ya ya,” Tim sang. He pointed a finger at the audience who gladly echoed the second part of the phrase back to him, smiles blinding in the low light of the coffee shop. They repeated the chorus again as Jason did some weird dance moves, getting into the song onstage.

Tim fought to stifle his laughter so he could keep singing. They repeated the part once more before Tim lengthened out the last note, changing the tempo as Jason took his spot at his own keyboard again.

The lyrics dropped away, the tempo picking up to something jazzy that spoke to Jason’s soul. Tim and Jason bounced the melodies back and forth, Jason once again wishing that he had a full jazz band to play this song to give it that extra sound.

The audience didn’t have a problem with the lack of variety. They easily started clapping along as Tim bobbed his head to the beat. Jason even saw a few people stomping their feet along to the beat, grinning ecstatically at the performance.

The tempo dropped, moving to a lower register as they pulled back the show a little bit, giving them a chance to build the melody up again. Jason almost mourned the second tempo change that brought them back to the slower tempo from the beginning of the song.

Tim continued to play, and Jason slithered over to him.

“So, they conjured up a plan to meet late at night,” he continued, singing along. “They told not a soul, kept the whole thing tight. Now her mother’s wedding dress fit like a glove--“ Jason straightened the lapels of Tim’s lab coat, drawing a laugh from the audience “--you don’t need much when you’re really in love.” He swallowed against how true that felt for him. The middle of a performance wasn’t the time to dwell on his feelings.

He pushed himself away, continuing to sing as he put his focus back on the audience, telling the story from the movie. He moved to the edge of the stage, prowling the edge of it. The audience was hooked, eyes locked on him as he continued to sing and wiggle his fingers in what was never a creepy manner.

“And then?” Tim prompted.

Jason looked back at him. “She waited,” he said, slinking back around his keyboard towards Tim.

“And then?” Tim prompted again.

“There in the shadows…was it her man?”

“And then?”

“Her little heart beat soooo loud,” Jason said, placing a hand over Tim’s chest.

“And then?” Tim asked, turning his head to look at Jason. He raised an eyebrow, fingers trilling along the keys.

“And then, baby,” Jason said. “Everything went black,” he said, voice lowering.

Tim dragged his fingers along the keys and Jason spun away. “Now when she opened her eyes, she was dead as dust.”

He took comfort in the familiar melody of the song, running his hands lightly over his keyboard, but not putting enough pressure on them to make a sound.

The audience began to clap again as the melody grew. They shared grins and smiles, completely focused on the performance in front of them.

“Always waiting for someone to ask for her hand,” Jason sang, holding out his hand towards Tim who just rolled his eyes and continued to play. “When out of the blue comes this groovy young man,” he sang, running his hands down his sides.

Someone in the audience whistled and Jason sent them a wink as Tim laughed under his breath.

As the last verse ended, Tim took up the chorus again, continuing to move his hands along the keys and Jason offered no help whatsoever.

The end of the song morphed into their next one as they began the second [End Credits](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PHICA0zNVw&index=18) for the film which began with the same melody as Remains of the Day. The melody was much more subdued for this song and there was a conspicuous lack of lyrics. Not that Jason didn’t mind the break.

He played along with Tim, grinning when the melody picked up again. Jason took the lead and Tim dropped back, giving Jason time to enjoy the music as it grew in intensity, regaining the jazzy feel that he loved so much.

As more parts added to the song, Tim jumped back in, adding his own melodies and flairs while Jason continued to play. The music reached a climax before it pulled back. Jason’s shoulders moved with the beat as the jazzy feel returned.

The audience clapped softly as they continued to play. They blinked when the jazz feel abruptly stopped, the music dropping to a low hum as the melody changed again and became something more sinister and haunting. If they’d been in a movie, the protagonist would be running down a dark alley, someone chasing after them as figures or animals darted through the shadows, cats hissing and swiping elongated claws at exposed ankles.

They returned to the jazz melody as it grew in complexity. The audience recognized the tune from one of their earlier songs and began to sing the easy chorus of “ya ya” along with them, bobbing their heads to the music. Jason grinned, knowing it wouldn’t last long. A second before the next melody started, Jason dropped out, leaving Tim to finish the last of the current melody and start the transition into the next part of the song.

Jason switched the settings of his keyboard, making it sound like a harpsichord while Tim continued to play what sounded like a normal piano. It gave an added layer to the music that wasn’t there when it only sounded like two pianos.

The music stopped abruptly. Tim and Jason shared a look. They could feel the audience was on edge. The ending of the last piece wasn’t satisfying. They were desperate for it to come full circle and they knew how to do that in the best way.

Jason smirked, moving his hands to the lower octave on the keyboard after switching it back to the regular piano setting. He took in a deep breath before raising and lowering his hands in an iconic [rhythm](https://youtu.be/Ap_BRZ6BgWo?t=5) that everyone would no doubt know.

Chuckles rose from the audience as _This Is Halloween_ began. Tim didn’t wait long before jumping in, playing along with the melody. The sound was comforting and even though _The Nightmare Before Christmas_ could be argued as a Christmas movie, Jason didn’t doubt that the most well-known track was most appropriate for the current holiday.

Tim and Jason split their parts, Jason taking the treble as Tim played the bass, their melodies twining together and breaking apart. The music was heavy as it swirled through the air around them, feeding off the energy of the audience as they stood in rapt attention, soaking up every note and chord progression Tim and Jason played.

They built up to the climax of the song, hands heavy on the keys as they covered several octaves, twisting and turning and repeating the melody before they stopped. The silence that followed was loud and out of place. The audience shifted, wanting more, needing more to be satisfied. Jason nodded at Tim and he carefully began the song’s melody again, playing alone.

Jason joined in when the melody moved lower, adding to the swell of the music as the audience relaxed with the familiar notes.

Their parts split again as they repeated the earlier parts of the piece, but Jason took the base line while Tim handled the treble, giving them both a chance to play something new.

The song reached the second climax and cut off, but they didn’t give the audience time to shift and become uncomfortable with the unresolved musical tension before they both slowly played the melody again, softer this time, easing the audience into the warmth of the music.

It didn’t last for long before the aggressive bass line returned and built underneath where the softness had once been. The chords slipped into a minor key, giving an added dissonance to what was being played.

They slowed as they reached the end of the piece, drawing out the notes before it came to a close and Tim banged a few nonsense notes on his keyboard that clashed horribly.

Jason chuckled as they let the sound die, hands falling from the keys as they straightened.

The audience broke into roaring applause. Several people let out sharp whistles that were loud in the confined space of the coffee shop.

Jason held out a hand to Tim. He took it and they stepped towards the edge of the stage, raising their joined hands over their heads before they bowed deeply at the waist. The applause continued as they straightened and Jason grinned hopping down from the stage as the music over the speakers started again, picking up with the chilling theme from _Halloween_.

He helped Tim down the step and received a thump on the back from the people around him.

“That was amazing!”

“Wonderful performance you two.”

“Definitely got me into the Halloween spirit.”

Jason nodded, pulling Tim through the crowd as people gave them their compliments and praise over the performance before they returned to earlier conversations and went back to raiding the snack table.

When they finally made it to the back of the audience where the counter was and accepted their last praise and compliments before the attention left them fully, Jason let out a long breath.

“That was amazing!” Roy said, coming up to them.

“Aren’t we always?” Tim asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m thinking we just might have to have a Christmas party. What do you say? You think you can put together a performance of holiday cheer?” Roy said with a snicker. “Although I’m not sure how cheerful Jason could be.”

“Shut up,” Jason said swatting at him.

“That would be wonderful,” Kori said, joining them in their small huddle. “I think we should definitely have a Christmas party. I’m sure everyone here would love to come for that.”

“Only if Jason agrees to sing ‘All I Want for Christmas is You,’” Tim said with a grin.

Jason groaned. “Nope. You’re just going to have to find someone else to perform because I’m definitely not doing that.”

“Aw come on,” Tim said, wrapping his arms around Jason’s shoulders. “You’d sound great.”

Jason rolled his eyes. “How about we just worry about enjoying Halloween and the candy that I’m definitely going to gorge myself on before thinking about our next performance. I’d like to enjoy the high from tonight before it crashes, and I have to figure out another set list and get back to practicing.”

Tim smiled and pushed himself onto his toes, pressing a gentle kiss to Jason’s lips. “Fine by me.”

Jason huffed but let Tim pull him away from Roy and Kori. They lurked around the dessert table and Jason finally swiped one of the orange-frosted cupcakes he’d had his eye on all night.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are loved and appreciated!
> 
> [Tumblr](http://my-one-love-is-music.tumblr.com/)
> 
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/m_o_l_i_m)


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